So what happened at NJSCBWI?
I'll tell you, because I can tell you just can't go on until I do.
I met a ton of amazing people. Got to see friends I haven't seen in a year, and made new friends. My Facebook friends list has grown and I'm all the better for it. The workshops were mostly helpful, and I was especially happy about the historical fiction, voice, and Steampunk panels. Turns out that Smoke & Mirrors really is a Steampunk story after all. I have a list of agents and editors to submit to, once I get the time to sit down and actually do it.
My agent pitch was... well, it didn't go as well as I hoped. Let me explain. I kind of had a feeling it wasn't going to be good when I introduced myself to the agent on Friday night. Now, most of the pros that I've met at this event have been friendly and open. She seemed a little cold, all business. Which is OKAY for her to be; she's a young, junior agent and probably wants to make a good impression. No biggie. But we did not click. At all.
So when Sunday came, I sat down, and completely forgot everything I was going to say. Maybe I planned to say too much, maybe I should have just gone for the hook, whatever. I babbled for four minutes, feeling like an idiot. She looked at me and said, "It's too long. It's too long for a first-time novelist."
Really? That's your only comment? I realize that it is kind of bulky, I'm not new at the rodeo, but not one thought about the concept? Probably my fault, I didn't explain it well perhaps. The fact I have written five other novels didn't seem to make an impression. I left when my time was up, and I cried. And then I got over it, because I've had agents bigger than this chippie look at it and see something worthwhile. They rejected it, but they SAW something and told me about it. Editors have asked to see it. Not ONCE has the length come up with any of them, though I', sure that there will be cutting happening when it is contracted. I'm not giving this agent's name because I think that's Terribly Bad Form. And in the end, I don't even think she'd really like S&M anyway.
But that was the minor glitch in an otherwise fabulous weekend! I bought some books for me and my library, and came home thinking about a lot of things. I can't wait for summer vacation to start so I can spend hours writing!
I met a ton of amazing people. Got to see friends I haven't seen in a year, and made new friends. My Facebook friends list has grown and I'm all the better for it. The workshops were mostly helpful, and I was especially happy about the historical fiction, voice, and Steampunk panels. Turns out that Smoke & Mirrors really is a Steampunk story after all. I have a list of agents and editors to submit to, once I get the time to sit down and actually do it.
My agent pitch was... well, it didn't go as well as I hoped. Let me explain. I kind of had a feeling it wasn't going to be good when I introduced myself to the agent on Friday night. Now, most of the pros that I've met at this event have been friendly and open. She seemed a little cold, all business. Which is OKAY for her to be; she's a young, junior agent and probably wants to make a good impression. No biggie. But we did not click. At all.
So when Sunday came, I sat down, and completely forgot everything I was going to say. Maybe I planned to say too much, maybe I should have just gone for the hook, whatever. I babbled for four minutes, feeling like an idiot. She looked at me and said, "It's too long. It's too long for a first-time novelist."
Really? That's your only comment? I realize that it is kind of bulky, I'm not new at the rodeo, but not one thought about the concept? Probably my fault, I didn't explain it well perhaps. The fact I have written five other novels didn't seem to make an impression. I left when my time was up, and I cried. And then I got over it, because I've had agents bigger than this chippie look at it and see something worthwhile. They rejected it, but they SAW something and told me about it. Editors have asked to see it. Not ONCE has the length come up with any of them, though I', sure that there will be cutting happening when it is contracted. I'm not giving this agent's name because I think that's Terribly Bad Form. And in the end, I don't even think she'd really like S&M anyway.
But that was the minor glitch in an otherwise fabulous weekend! I bought some books for me and my library, and came home thinking about a lot of things. I can't wait for summer vacation to start so I can spend hours writing!